Fight on for tickets in Warangal Congress

The exercise is turning particularly arduous as majority of constituencies boast more than two aspirants vying for a ticket, barring the exceptions of Mulugu and Bhupalpally constituencies.

Warangal: With the approaching general elections, the Congress high command finds itself in a tough position, tasked with allocating MLA tickets to party hopefuls in the erstwhile Warangal district. The exercise is turning particularly arduous as majority of constituencies boast more than two aspirants vying for a ticket, barring the exceptions of Mulugu and Bhupalpally constituencies.

In the last general elections, Congress secured a mere two out of the 12 Assembly segments within the former Warangal district, managing victory in Bhupalpally and Mulugu. However, the political landscape shifted when Bhupalpally MLA Gandra Venkataramana Reddy shifted to the ruling BRS in 2019. Consequently, the Congress now only retains one MLA, Danasari Anasuya aka Seethakka, from the Mulugu (ST) constituency.

---

The uphill struggle faced by the Congress is evident as it strives to finalize candidates capable of posing a substantial challenge to the strong contenders from the BRS. This uphill task is exacerbated by the fact that several aspiring candidates for the tickets have lost their political footing, having remained distant from the public sphere following their previous defeats, and the successful welfare rule under the BRS.

Party sources reveal that the Congress has so far tentatively approved four candidates for select constituencies. Among these is the incumbent MLA Seethakka to contest from Mulugu. Former MLA Donthi Madhava Reddy is reportedly slated for Narsampet, while Konda Surekha, another former MLA, is reportedly being considered for Warangal East. Gandra Satyanarayana is emerging as a potential candidate for Bhupalpally.

Simultaneously, former MP Sirisilla Rajaiah and retired IPS officer KR Nagaraju are making strong bids for the Wardhannapet (SC) constituency ticket. Dommati Sambaiah and Indira Singapuram are locked in a rivalry for the Station Ghanpur (SC) constituency ticket, whereas Janga Raghava Reddy and Naini Rajender Reddy are engaged in a contest for the Warangal West constituency ticket.

In the Mahabubabad (ST) constituency, aspirants include former MP Porike Balaram Naik, TPCC spokesperson Bellaiah Naik, and Dr Bhukya Murali Naik. Additionally, former MLC Konda Muralidhar Rao is contemplating a run for the Parkal constituency, and Engala Venkatram Reddy is also vying for the ticket.

Amidst this competition, former Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah faces a formidable challenge for the ticket, with former MLA Kommuri Prathap Reddy also eyeing the same seat. A unique dynamic emerges in the Palakurthy constituency, where NRI Hanumandla Jhansi Reddy is seemingly a front-runner due to limited competition. Meanwhile, entrepreneur Bhupal Naik Nanavath is making his political aspirations known, seeking a ticket for the Dornakal (ST) constituency. Dr Jaothu Ramanchandra Naik and Nehru Naik also remain contenders in the race.